"CERES is doing a great job in providing fieldwork experience in a
wonderful place. I truly enjoyed every bit of my visit there"Student Newcastle 2014

"I really enjoyed the hands

on approach to learning.

I also
found all the staff

incredibly friendly and helpful"

Student Sussex 2014

"Newcastle University students love visiting this beautiful part of
Portugal and CERES provides an excellent range of activities that
enhance their learning experience"Staff Newcastle 2014

"Absolutely fantastic week! Learned so much! Axul and Astrid and all the
staff made us feel right at home! The variety of places visited was great! Highly recommend this trip!
Student Portsmouths 2014

"Ceres field-courses in

SW Portugal are

transformative field experiences
for our students - and represent excellent value for money"Staff Portsmouth 2014

"In one word, the whole experience was amazing. There was and there is nothing I would've done differently and is certainly a trip I will never
forget"Student Ashbourne 2014

"Loved it!
Students are gaining invaluable experience and learning vital skills in
an fun, exciting and beautiful setting. Skills and experiences they will keep with them for a lifetime and that would be impossible to learn in a
classroom" Staff Ashbourne 2014

"All aspects were great but the 'best' is split between Carrapateira and Tom's cooking"Staff Plymouth 2013

CERES Project
biology Aljezur, Algarve, Southwest Portugal

biology

field work for biology courses

The Parque Natural do Sudoeste
Alentejano e Costa Vicentina is one of the richest regions of Europe in terms of
animal and plant biodiversity. Two coast lines (south and west
facing), a warm Mediterranean climate with rain fall in the
winter and dry summers, a diverse,
sparsely populated landscape with
hills and plains, provide endless opportunities for biological field work in most field-based subdisciplines.

Browse through our workshops to get an
impression about the remarkable
variety this region has to offer. Our main area of expertise is the
aquatic environment. If you
are specifically interested in terrestrial habitats, agriculture, botany, ornithology, entomology,
amphibians and reptilians, or anything else not already on our list please contact us. We will get you in touch with experts
working in this area.

Workshops are usually booked by groups staying at our field study centre. For information about prices...go to page , for general information please go to page.

" the Parque Natural offers a range of settings

for biological field work unrivalled in Europe "

workshop format

Workshops run by CERES staff with specialist knowledge and
fieldwork expertise, can be booked for either half a day or a full day. Workshops led by us enable
the group leader to concentrate
on other aspects of student learning that are not often possible with
traditional self-led fieldwork.
All workshops are tailored in direct consultation with the group leader to suit the
group's requirements.

We usually integrate a contextualised hands-on
activity, such as a survey or an experiment, into our day workshops to
allow students to practice a variety of field techniques. The interactive
nature of the
workshops means that they are both lively and informative. All equipment
and materials is provided by us. Day workshops can be supported
by pre-and post-excursion
classroom activities that establish the context for learning and provide
the
necessary follow-up and reinforcement.

The list of workshops below is
broadly indexed by habitats. To focus on specific study themes or to target specific syllabus- or
topic outcomes please contact us.

prices: from €300 for a full day workshop and

from €170 for a half day workshop

coastal habitats: overview

The aim of this workshop is to
provide groups from non-marine subject areas with an introduction to coastal
ecology and conservation. Specialist marine courses booking this workshop will gain a
comprehensive overview of local habitats, oceanographical and metrological conditions. You will be able to explore
different geomorphological settings: rocky shore platforms framed by steep
cliffs, sand and pebble beaches exposed to strong Atlantic swell, biologically
highly productive and diverse salt marshes and estuaries subject to a semidiurnal and mesotidal tidal regime.

rocky shore ecology

Our rocky shore workshops range
from introductory tide pool safaris-, over physically demanding excursions along
the intertidal coastline-, to specific academic activities covering for example
population assessments of intertidal fish communities. The western Algarve
coastline provides an excellent location to study intertidal fauna and flora.
It marks the northern most distribution for many subtropical and the
southernmost geographical range for several boreal species. Communities show
remarkable adaptations to the physically extreme conditions of high wave energy and large salinity fluctuations.

estuarine habitats

We are privileged with having one
of Europe’s most stunningly beautiful estuaries, the Amoreira valley, on our
doorsteps. The habitat diversity to be found, including sand spits, soft
sediment flats, salt and freshwater marshes and artificial salinas, previously used for salt
extraction, supports a large biodiversity. The estuary is an ideal study location. Alternative study sites in close
vicinity are the Seixe and Mira estuaries on the
exposed west coast and the large Arade estuary on the south coast. Some study
sites are so remote you have to swim or wade to reach them.

from dusk till dawn: the seashore at night

Explore the seashore like you (probably) have not done it
before. The shore at night is an astonishing place; all sounds seem to be
amplified by the darkness. The majority of intertidal animals are most active at
night. Discovering the shore with a torch is one of the most
exiting ways to learn about animal behaviour and also one of least intrusive. If we are lucky we can observe an octopus on the hunt in the shallow
water. We guide you to the best sites and show how to explore the seashore in a
safe and environmentally responsible way.

coastal lagoon / salt marsh

The Ria de Alvor is one of the most significant
coastal wetlands in south-western Portugal. The lagoon was designated as a
RAMSAR site as well as a Natura 2000 site. Some animal and plant
species are important on a European scale. A huge variety of birds use the
lagoon as an overwintering habitat. The European fiddler crab (Uca tangen) is relatively common. The lagoon is under threat from
coastal development schemes. One hour drive to the east lies the large Ria Formosa lagoon. A boat excursion
to the barrier island system is a highlight of this trip.

freshwater habitats

The
variety of distinct habitats of lakes and ponds, rivers, springs, streams and wetlands combined
with great
interannual and monthly variations of
rainfall provide interesting opportunities to study the structure and
function
of Mediterranean limnic ecosystems. The Aljezur river,
that abounds the CERES field centre, is a small and dynamic coastal system.
Otter (Lutra lutra), crayfish and terrapin (Mauremys leprosa) are
abundant. Ephemeral systems that dry out during the
summer hold unique communities of aquatic organisms and can be compared
with
those in permanent reservoirs.

cetacean conservation

This workshop is run by passionate and esteemed marine
biologists whose research focus on the study of marine mammals in
southern Portugal. The workshop (usually) involves a trip from
Sagres in a small research vessel (a surcharge applies) to introduce students
to species identification, behaviour investigation, photo identification
and conservation work. Quite often the vessel will find itself in the middle of a
dolphin group. Orcas (Orcinus orcas), minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata),
loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta), and hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna zigaena) are
also spotted in our local waters.

sustainable marine fisheries

The
fisheries sector is of great
economic and social importance in Portugal. The Algarve fishing
industry is large and diversified. The mainly small traditional vessels
based at our local
harbours Lagos and
Sagres, mostly belong to the polyvalent
segment of the fleet and are equipped to use more than one
fishing
method e.g long lines, gill nets, pods and seine nets. We provide you with the facts and figures but also take you
behind the scenes, explain fishing gear, talk to the fishermen, and sample the catch
at the local fish market so that you can form
your own opinion.

food from the sea

As so many people are not in touch with where food
(especially seafood) comes from, then foraging the seashore can provide a great
connection with both dinner and nature. Foraging by hand is one of the most
sustainable forms of fishing, if carried out responsibly. This workshop
provides a practical overview over the various crustacean, mollusc, plants and
fish species to be harvested on the seashore. We discuss conservation issues; the ethics of foraging; food poisoning;
the law and access to the shore. We show
you how to use equipment such as nets, pots and hooks and – of course – prepare
a delicious meal on the beach.

marine aquaculture

Marine aquaculture in
Portugal is centred on the Algarve coast and dates back to
ancient times. Traditional
production focuses on
sea ranching of molluscs in `viaturas´. More recently semi-intensive
and intensive fin fish culture of sea bream (Sparus aurata) and sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) - (and to lesser
extend
sole) has been developed to high standards
and has become an important industry.
Offshore cage culture is one of the new government's priorities. During this workshop you have the opportunity to visit the
largest
fish farm in Portugal, viaturas and aquaculture research institutions.

science projects

We organise research projects on
a variety of subjects relevant to local conservation schemes. A project usually involves field observations,
developing hypothesises, data collection
and experimenting in the field,
data analysis and presentation. A project can be a capstone activity that runs over several days and
synthesizes a wide area of course content and
biological concepts. Most projects are linked to specific module learning outcomes and will involve a
written assignment and presentation. Student presentations in our
Study Lodge followed by a BBQ are a
highlight of any trip.